Improvement in life-boats



J. P. SGHULTHEIS.

Life-Bom.4

Patented Feb.r12,:

8 Sheets-Sheen 1.

8 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. F. SGHULTHEIS. Life-Boat. No, 200,347. Patented Feb. 12,1878.

N4PETEES, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPMER, WASHINGTON. D C.

'3 Sheets-Sheet 8.

J. F. SGHULTHEIS.

, Life-Boat. No. 200,347.

Patented Feb. 12,1878'.

N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITHQGRAPHER. WASHINGTUN. D C.

` UNITED STATES PATENT 'OEEIcE JOHN F. SOHULTHEIS,

or NEW vonk, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN LIFE-BOATS.

Specification forming partl of Letters Patent No. 200,347, datedFebruary 12,' 1878; application filed August 2S, 1877.

To all whom it may concern: y

Be it known that I, JOHN F. ScHULTEErs, of the city and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Boats,of which the following is a description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this speciflcation.

The object of this invention is to construct a vlife boat which shallcombine increased strength with increased security -against swamping,and greater comforts and conveniences for the occupants, together withenlarged facilities for Lnavigating the boat and for signaling incase ofdistress.

The invention" relates to boats of a covered or close cylinder-likeconstruction; and consists in a novel construction of the outer body ofthe boat, the hull or lower portion of which is made with a keel andcut-water or bow, while the upper part of said body is of circular form.

The invention also consists in certain novel constructions andcombinations of means for affordn g ingress to the boat, the same beingcomposed of openings in one or both sides of the upper part of the bodyof the boat, closed by sliding doors to exclude water in a rough sea; aninner passenger receptacle or vessel carried by circular roller-framesor devices, which are supported by the body, to give steadiness duringthe rolling of the boat, and thereby to diminish the tendency tosea-sickness means for compressing vand storing' air within the boat,and signals operated by liberating said air 5 a tiller or steering-wheelwithin the closed boat, and connections passing through stuffing boxesfor operating the rudder; one or more air-traps for supplying fresh airto the interior of the boat, and for passing oifwater entering said trapor traps; a pump, fan, or blower for discharging foul air from theinterior of the boat; a sectionally-constructed mast, capable of beingraised by ropes and pulleys from the interior of the boat, together witha boom and sail, both adjustable, or so that said sail may be furledfrom said interior 5 ports and shutters in the sides of thel boat,constructed to form close sockets or rowlocks for oars, havin gball-joints or bearings, whereby the oars may be worked from the interior ofthe closed boat without passing water thereto; likewise a novelconstruction and combination of devices for facilitating the use of 'awatercloset in the boat, and of rinsing the same either by water fromthe outside or by bilgewater from the interior of the boat; and variousother appliances or combinations of devices and details of constructionwhich will add to the comfort, convenience, and safety of thepassengers, and facilitate the navigation of the boat, substantially ashereinafter described.

Figure l represents aside View of a lifeboat constructed in accordancewith my invention, with its sail set, and as being propelled by oars.Fig. 2 is a front View of saidboat with its mast lowered. Fig. 3 is avertical longitudinal section of the same; and Figs. 4, 5, and 6transverse section thereof on the lines x w, y y, and z z, respectively,all looking in direction of the arrows u., Fig. 7 is a transversesection upon a larger scale on the line w w, looking in direction of thearrow c. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section upon the line s s of the rearportion of the boat. Fig. 9 is'a vertical section of a portion of thebody of the boat, in illustration of means for propelling the latter byoars, showing also one of the oars'detached. Fig. l0 is a horizontalsection, of an extensible mast used in the boat. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 areupon the same enlarged scale as Fig. 7 of the drawing.

The body of the boat, which may be of wood or metal, and is of a coveredor close construction both top and bottom, is composed of a hull orlower portion7 A, which may' be of the usual boat-build, having a keel,b,

land bow or cut-waterc, and of a top or upper portion, A', of circularform, the two parts constituting a boat-body which, ator near midshps,is of an vapproximately cylindrical form. This construction ofthe bodynot only serves to exclude Water from entering the boat to swamp it,but, in case of the boat capsizing, it will right itself. Y

Access is had to Ithe interior of the` boat and egress therefrom throughone or more openings, d, preferably two or more, on oppo site sides, inthe top or upper portion A' of the body. These openings are closed bysliding` doors B, which are fitted to work in curvilinearwayscorresponding with the transverse figure of the boat, said ways beingformed within circular ribs e, which serve to stiften the interior ofthe body.

Rollers may be applied to ease the run of these doors, andcounterbalance-weights j'be attached to them by sliding rods g for thesame purpose. Vhen said doors are closed they prevent water fromentering the boat, even though the sea should make a clean breachoverit.

Hand-rails h are arranged on either side of the openings d, to assistpassengers in entering and leaving the boat.

On the exterior of either side of the hull A is rigged a life-rope, C,suspended at points from above along the hull, and arranged to form aseries of pendent loops, which are connected below. These life-ropesserve to sustain persons in the water hanging onto the boat, and toassist them in boarding the saine.

One or more drag-ropes, D, may also be attached to the body of the boatfor the same purpose as the life-ropes C. These ropes D, which may be ofany desired lengt-h, are only attached at their one end to the body ofthe boat, and are studded or provided throughout their length withiloats t', arranged at suitable distances apart, and serving to sustainin the water, by the buoyancy they give to the ropes D, a large numberof persons who may have become Limmersed and are desirous of reachingthe boat.

Within the body of the boat, extending throughout the greater part ofthe length thereof, and designed, when at rest, to occupy a positionwithin the hull or lower part A of the body, is a vessel or receptacle,E, which forms the passenger and goods compartments, or carrying portionof the boat. This receptacle is constructed and fitted so that, althoughsupported by the body of the boat, and more or less'iilling the hullthereof, it is independent of said body, and so that the latter, inrolling by the motion of the sea, will work round or about it andrelieve it of much of said motion, thus reducing the tendency tosea-sickness and adding to the comfort of the occupants. To this end,said vessel or recep-` tacle E, which may be constructed with seats k onopposite sides of it, is left loose or free, and has secured to itsexterior circular tracks or frames l, arranged to Work in contact withrollers m in a fixed outer circular frame, n, fast to the interior ofthe body of the boat.

Intermediate loose roller-frames o may also be interposed between thecircular exterior of receptacle E and certain of the fixed circular ribse, to assist in the support of the receptacle E by the body of the boat,and free movement of said body around or about said receptacle.`Although the passen ger-receiving vessel or receptacle E is thus fittedloose within the body of the boat, it may, if desired, be secured to thehull by inserting a locking-bolt, q, at either or both ends of saidreceptacle,

within a divided aperture formed partly in said receptacle and partly afixed portion of the body.

The body of the boat is fitted, near either end of it, with bulk-headsGr, which are constructed to form or contain compressed-air reservoirsH. These reservoirs H are connected by a pipe, a), running alongandwithin the bottom ofthe body of the boat, and curving upward ateither end, and controlled by a cock, bl, to pass compressed air, asrequired, from the rear reservoir H to the front reservoir H. Air iscompressed in the rear of said reservoirs by means of a hand-pump, I,and a pressure-gage, J, serves to indicate the pressure within saidreservoir. Such air is drawn off as required, on opening the rear cock band a front cock, ol', to supply the front reservoir H, from which airmay be taken to sound a signaling-whistle, K, or to sound afog-horn, L;or the air to sound the whistle K may be taken direct from the pipe al,also the foghorn L be supplied direct by a branch-pipe,

a?, on opening a cock, b2, and the front reservoir H, which may be afixed air-chamber, not be drawn upon for supplying air to the signalingapparatus. Thus the means for compressin rear of the boat, out of theway of the steen ing apparatus, whichis in front.

Said steering apparatus is constructed and arranged as follows: M is therudder in the stern of the boat.

Figs. 1, 3, and 8) steering ropes or chains c' are fastened at their oneend, said ropes pass ing round opposite sides of said wheel. These uropes are attached to rods, which pass through tubular guides andstufling-boxes N in front of air-reservoir H, and from thence arecontinued to the windlass f1 of the steering-wheel O, in the front partof the interior of the boat, a glazed opening, g1, Fig. 4, in front ofthe boat, allowing for the look-out of the man-at the wheel. The guidesand stufling-boxes N prevent leakage where the steering-ropes pass outthrough the stern to connect with the rudder. The interior of the hullmay be fitted with independent air-chambers l?, to contribute to thesafety of the boat in case of the hull springing` a l'cak i or otherwisebeing ruptured. The upper closed portion of the body of the boat isprovided with anynumber ofbulls-eyes h1, to give light to the interiorof the boat.

Fresh air is supplied to the interior of the boat through one or moreairtraps, R, which receive the air through openings il covered by wiregauze, and arranged in the upper portion A of the body. These'traps,which may be provided with a cock, k, for opening and closing them asrequired, have outlet-branches L* for carrying off any water that maywash into the traps, said branches connecting with the lower elbow ofthe traps, and passing out through the body of the boat, to run olf thewater washing into them.

To 'further keep the atmosphere pure in the ing the air to work thesignals are arranged Mounted on the upper end of the rudder is a pulley,d1, to which (see boat, foul air collectingA therein is discharged bymeans of a pump, fan, or blower, S, which may be driven by hand throughspeeding-up mechanism, as shown in Fig. 7, and which operates to exhaustthe air from the interior of the lboat and to force it through agauze-covered pipe or outlet, m1 in the upper portion A.' of the body ofthe boat. Y

A water-tank, T, is or may be arranged in the forward portion of theboat, or in any other suitable part thereof, to supply the' occupants ofthe boat with fresh water.

The propulsion of the boat may be effected either by sails or oars, orby both. When a sail is used, a sectionally-constructed mast lisemployed, arranged to be capable of extension from out of or contractionwithin a watertight compartment, U, in the forward portion of the boat.(See Figs. 3, 5, and 6.) This mast is constructed of two or moresections or independent pieces, B', Figs. 3, 5, and l0, provided withvertical metallic flanged tongues nl and sockets o1, to provide fortheirretention in position when shut down or closed, one in front of theother, as shown inFigs. 3, 5, and 10, and also to provide for theirsliding extension, one above the other, by means of ropes r1,up per andlower pulleys s1, and a raising and lowering windlass, u1, to which theropes r1 are attached at their one end and to a cleat on the outermast-section at their other end,

the front or innermost mast-section being stationary. As themast-sections are extended or raised, a shoulder on the lower end ofeach sliding mast-section strikes an upper shoulder or projection on thesection against or in front of which it slides, to hold the severalsections at their proper elevation, and to insure the regular elevationof the several sections till the whole mast is raised, as shown in Fig.l. Guy-ropes c' may be attached at their upper ends to the outermostmast extension, and pass through guides or stuffing-boxes in the body ofthe boat, at their lower ends, to steady or Support the mast whenraised.

C' is the sail carried by a boom, D', and raised or lowered by a rope,c2, passing through a guide or stufngbox in the forward portion of theboat, and around a pulley, d2, on the outermost mast-extension B', asshown in Fig. l. The boom D' is disconnected from the mast,

vbein g attached at its inner end by a universal joint, or in afreely-moving manner with an upright, e, mounted on the upper portion A'of the body in proximity to the mast. The outer end of said boom is connected, by a ring, with -a cross-rail, E', bent downward at itsopposite ends to connect with the top A' of the boat, and along or toopposite sides of which the free or outer end of the boom is at libertyto be adjusted.

To propel the boat by oars, (see Figs. 1,'6, and 9,) the closed body ofthe boat has side apertures f2 in it, which are closed by slidingshutters g2 wh en it is not required to proj ect the oars G' throughsaid openings. These oars are each provided or fitted near their handleends with a spherical protuberance or ball, h2,which, when the oars areto be used, rest in rowlocks, each of which is constructed to formasphericalV socket, 2, formed, in part, by a sliding inner shutter, k2,arranged opposite either outer shutter g2, andformed with a semispherical socket made to match a xed semi-spherical socket beneath, forthe ball hzof the oar to rest in. rThus, by opening the shutters g? andclosing the shutters k2, the' oars are made to work in vwater-tightball-and-socket .jo'ints'or rowlocks. i

H"is awater-closet, which may be arranged in the front portion of theboat. This'y watercloset (see more particularly. Fig. 7) is iitted withduplicate valves l2 m2 in the soil-pipe n2, arranged one above theother, and connected by gearing o2 r2 s2 operated by a lever, u2, sothat when one of said valves is open the other is closed, thuseffectually excluding sea-water from rushing up the soil-pipe as saidvalves are alternately opened to pass the deposit. I' is a pump designedto be worked by hand from the interior of the boat, for washing out thesoil-pipe, or for clearing it of deposit, and for rinsing out the bowlof the closet. This pump has duplicate suction connections. Thus, (seeFig. 7,) it either connects by a pipe, a3, on opening a cock, b3, withthe sea direct, or on closing the cock b3 and opening' a cock, c3, in apipe, cl3, it draws and utilizes the bilge-water of the boat todischarge the soil and rinse the bowl ot the closet. The water drawn inby said pump is discharged to expel the soil deposited between thevalvesv Z2 m2 by means of a pipe, e3, controlled by a cock, f3,afterwhich said cock may be closed, and a cock, g3,

in a branch pipe, h3, be opened to rinse out the bowl of the closet.

I claiml. The air-pump I, in combination with the body of the boat, thebulk-heads G at the ends of said boat, the air-reservoirs H, and one ormore pneumatic signals, K L, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the body of the boat having a close top, A', ofone or more air-traps, R, provided with outlets ll for water collectingtherein, substantially as specified.

3. The sectionally-constructed mast composed of tongued and groovedsliding sections B', arranged one in front of the other, in combinationwith the hoisting-ropes r', the 'upper and lower pulleys s1, and thewindlass u', substantially as specified.

4. The boom D', in combination with the upright e2, by which it isjointed at its inner end to the top A' of the boat,the guide-rail E' forthe outer end of the boom, and the extensible mast, essentially asdescribed.

5. The combination of theouter shutters g2 with the inner shutters k2and the sphericallyconstructed rowlocks "2 formed in part byA said innershutters, essentially as described.

6. The combination, with the boat, of the watercloset H', provided withupper and lower valves Z2 m2 in its soil-pipe n2, and mechanisln foropening and closing said valves in reverse relation with each other,essentially as described.

7. The combination, with the water-closet, of

thepump I', the suction sea-pipe a3, the bilgebination with the oarhaving a spherical enlargement to it said rowlock, substantially asdescribed.

10. The combination7 with the pump I in a boat, of the rinsing-pipe h3,provided With a cock, z3, and entering the bowl of the Watercloset H',and the pipe e3, provided With the cock f3, and connected to said pipe nbelow the bowl of said Water-closet, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

J. FR. SCHULTHEIS.

l itnesses:

BENJAMIN W. HOFFMAN, FRED HAYNEs.

